Define My Pain
by Aina Song
Summary: He didn't know what he was looking for... until it found him.
1. Do It Again

**Title:** Define My Pain

**By:** Aina Song

**Fandom(s):** YYH/FF8 Crossover

**Genre:** Yaoi

**Rating:** NC-17

**Warning(s):** Language; Angst; Blood - Possibly some Saap, if I can manage it.

**Pairing(s):** Yusuke/Squall; implied Hiei/Kurama

**Reviews:** Yes, please.

**Author's Note:** Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. _Italics_= dreams, and such.

**Teaser:** He didn't know what he needed… Until it found him.

**Chapter One - Do It Again**

Yusuke Urameshi hefted his duffel higher up on his shoulder, looking at the sight before him with a satisfied smirk. He was standing at the base of a large hill, at the foot of some stone steps that eventually would lead up to a temple at the top. Genkai's temple. His home away from home.

Behind him, Kurama gave a soft chuckle at their former leader's wistful look, and Hiei rolled his eyes. Though they both felt the same as did Yusuke. They rarely got to spend time in each other's company anymore; even less often could Yusuke find the chance to escape his responsibilities. This vacation was going to be just what they needed.

But then Yusuke sensed a sudden shift in the natural energies surrounding them; and Kurama gave a shout, pointing toward the sky. To any normal human, it would seem as though the skies were clear. But Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama watched as grey clouds swirled overhead. The air grew suddenly chill, and a large bolt of lightning struck the top of the hill. Its echo

roared in their ears.

Then it was over. With a low rumbling of thunder, the skies cleared and the flow of energy returned to normal. Yusuke swore. He raced up the stone steps two at a time, with his friends following close behind him.

They needn't have worried. Genkai was safe.

But the energy storm had not fled without leaving something in its wake. Two men lay unconscious upon the stone patio, small tendrils of smoke still coming up from their bodies. The three demons stared, and Yusuke knelt to better examine them. One was a tall blond. His short hair was slicked back, and an old scar crossed the bridge of his nose. He wore a thick blue vest, dark pants, and leather gloves. The storm did not appear to have seriously injured him.

The other was unlike any Yusuke had ever seen before. This one wore a white tee-shirt, dark pants, and a short-sleeved leather jacket. He also seemed to have a thing for belts. He wore a black one around his waist, where it belonged. Another black belt, and two of brown leather, hung loosely across his hips and intersected each other. Three more smaller brown belts hugged his left forearm.**(1)** His right forearm was heavily bandaged. Like his friend, his hands were gloved in black leather.

Yusuke lifted his gaze to this one's face. Its fine features seemed sculpted from marble, with a mouth that Yusuke was surprised to feel was simply begging to be kissed. With feathery soft brown hair that reached just to his shoulders, this stranger was an attractive youth. In between his closed eyes was a slim scar, exactly matching his friend's, but at an opposite angle.

Then Yusuke noticed the odd-looking weapons hanging from both newcomers' hips. Why would a sword require a trigger? He reached toward the nearest one, which belonged to the young man in leathers. But then the young stranger suddenly stirred, catching a hand to Yusuke's wrist; and he opened hauntingly blue eyes.

Yusuke froze. Genkai, Hiei, and Kurama stepped back. Yet it must have only been a reflex, for in the next instant the man's eyes rolled back, and he had fallen unconscious again.

Genkai shook her head, giving a sympathetic sigh. "Bring them inside. We can at least offer them a safe place to rest until we can learn who they are."

Shrugging, Yusuke gently tugged his wrist from the stranger's slackened grip and dropped his duffel to the stonework. He took the one in leather up in his arms, while Kurama took up the blond, and with Hiei they followed Genkai into the temple.

~o~

Seifer awoke, his very bones aching after too many hours of sleep. He sat up in a bed he did not remember wanting, in a room he could not recognize. Glancing around, he found Squall lying in another bed across the room, tossing about in his sleep and obviously suffering from another nightmare. Seifer stood and came over, roughly shaking his old rival by the shoulder.

Squall's chalk-blue eyes flew open, and he stole a sharp breath, his only confession of the turmoil within. He slowly sat up, taking in their unfamiliar surroundings. He frowned, "Where are we?"

"You tell me."

He looked at the door, as did Seifer. It was shut, but did not appear locked.

"Have we been taken prisoner?" Squall quietly demanded.

"Not likely." Seifer nodded toward a corner of the room, "They left us our weapons. Any idea how we got here?"

Squall sat a moment in silence, his chalk-blue eyes clouded with thought. "The storm," he finally muttered. "There was the start of a hurricane brewing over the ocean."

The blond quickly shook his head, "But we never flew near it. We programmed the Ragnarok's auto-pilot to take us around it."

"We tried," he corrected. "We were pulled in."

"But that still doesn't explain how we got here."

After another moment's silence, Squall stood and took up his _Revolver_, tossing the _Hyperion_ to Seifer. "Let's look around."

~o~

At first, all they found were stone walls and ancient statues. It seemed they had been brought to a temple. A very empty temple, by the looks of it, which appeared more of a dojo than anything else. Finally, they came upon a larger room with a marble floor. In its center, three young men were sparring against each other, with a speed and grace that Squall's eyes strained to follow.

One was tall, with flowing red hair and wise emerald eyes; while another was a small-framed man with spiky black hair streaked with white, and eyes a menacing garnet red. The third, however, seemed uniquely different. Skillfully holding his own against the other two, this one was a dark-haired youth with a cocky grin. His startlingly fierce brown eyes were alight with humor and yet, somehow, piercingly dangerous.

~o~

Yusuke stumbled for half a second when he noticed their guests were awake. He laughed when Hiei tried to take advantage of the moment, easily fending him off. It had been so long since they had fought together like this, that it was another fifteen minutes before Yusuke gave a whistle. Hiei and Kurama immediately halted their assault, and they too noticed the new guests' presence.

"We'll notify Genkai," Kurama offered as he and Hiei walked passed the two strangers and out the door.

Yusuke turned to the newcomers and crossed the room to introduce himself. He watched with a wondering grin as the blond one quickly stepped in front of his friend and lifted his weapon as a warning. Did they really believe they were in hostile territory? But then the other reached his left hand to the blond's right shoulder, stepping around his friend with a slow shake of his head. The blond backed down, though the warning never left his eyes. The one in leathers also turned his hauntingly blue eyes upon Yusuke's approach. And Yusuke was once again surprised to feel that irrepressible urge to taste those sultry lips.

His mouth quirked in a smirk, and he offered his hand in greeting. "Name's Yusuke Urameshi. Glad to see you're both up and about."

Whatever their reason, neither one would shake his hand. The blond simply looked at him with a calculative look in his dark blue eyes. "What are you to this place?"

Thinking it an odd question, Yusuke dropped his hand with a casual shrug. "A guest, same as you."

"How did we get here?" The other patiently demanded.

Here was a guy who believed in getting to the point. "Far as we know," Yusuke answered, "a storm dropped you here."

"Was it a hurricane?" The blond quickly asked.

He shook his head, "Energy storm. And if one of _those_ brought you here, that's gotta mean you two are from another world."

"Another world?" The blond repeated, sharing a disbelieving glance with his companion.

Yusuke nodded, "Genkai's temple is common grounds for half a dozen separate realities."

"And are you from another world as well?" The blond's companion suggested.

"You could say that," he smirked. "But I was born in this one."

His hauntingly blue eyes narrowing, the one in leather hesitated a moment longer. His companion watched him quietly, obviously waiting toward their next move. "My name is Squall Leonhart," he finally answered. He then nodded toward his friend, "This is Seifer Almasy."

"Squall," Yusuke echoed, trying it out. It tasted foreign and familiar, like an exotic scent. His mouth slid into a slow, crooked grin. "Wanna test your mettle 'gainst me, Squall?"

He stared, "Fight you?"

"Yeah, why not. I'll even let you use that weapon o' yours. Unless you wanna prove you can do it man-to-man."

Squall glanced down at the blade in his hand, but was already shaking his head. "I will not use the _Revolver_ on an unarmed opponent."

But Yusuke caught the quick gleam in those hauntingly blue eyes, and knew it to mean he was interested. If Squall Leonhart was a man who could not turn down a healthy challenge, it would make him exactly Yusuke's type. His grin this time spreading into a triumphant smirk, Yusuke stepped back and assumed a playful fighting stance. "So put it down. Give it over to your friend, and let him hold on to it."

~o~

Seifer Almasy had learned the hard way how to read the truth in another person's eyes. But what he saw in Yusuke Urameshi's fierce brown eyes confused and intrigued him. He could tell this strange youth meant them no harm - for the moment - but there was still something… Following his instincts, Seifer put a hand to Squall's shoulder and carefully removed the _Revolver_ from Squall's grip.

His old rival gave him a questioning look.

Seifer nodded, "I'll keep an eye on him."

Squall sighed, but stepped forward. It was against the entirety of their training to give up his weapon until their surroundings were proven non-hostile. But though in his past Squall had once thrived on discipline, Seifer was confident that his old rival now understood some rules needed breaking.

"What are your terms?" Squall was asking.

"Simple," Yusuke smirked, beginning to circle him. "You try to hit me; I try to hit you. I know you might have a few tricks up your sleeve. People stayin' here usually do. For now, we won't use 'em. Keep it physical."

Squall turned a bit, keeping Yusuke within his sight. "And the winner?"

~o~

"Whoever walks away with the least amount of cuts and bruises." And then Yusuke knew how he was going to get that kiss. "How 'bout we make it interestin'. A bet."

"What would we wager?"

Yusuke smirked, feinting a first attack. He was going to enjoy this. "What do you want?"

Squall Leonhart fell silent again, his haunting blue eyes full of thought for priorities, even as they carefully tracked Yusuke's movements. "We need an ally," he slowly confessed. "Someone to help us find a way back into our own world."

"Done."

Few paces away, Seifer stared. "You alone can't possibly be capable of such power."

Yusuke gave the blond a quietly confident look which hid nothing and everything. "You have no idea how much I can do."

"And if you win," Squall prompted.

"When I win," he smirked, "you'll let me take you for a night on the town this Saturday. No questions asked."

And so the game began.

They kept at it for several minutes, with Yusuke biding his time while he waited to see the adrenaline ignite in Squall's hauntingly blue eyes. But just as the fun was about to start, Squall deflected another of Yusuke's swings and backed away.

"Wait."

Yusuke dropped back, slightly confused. He had been convinced the game would last much longer than that. But then his smirk returned, as he watched Squall quietly ask his blond companion to remove the bandages from around his right forearm. Squall returned to the center of the marble floor, flexing his wounded arm, examining his new scar with a critical eye.

"Ready?" Yusuke asked.

Squall nodded, "You were holding back."

With a slow, crooked grin at having been caught, he lifted his fists once more. "I was, huh?"

And Yusuke's heart suddenly missed a beat as he watched those sultry lips give a small smile.

"Don't do it again."

1) Squall's description borrowed from Disney & SquareSoft's "Kingdom Hearts".


	2. By Tomorrow Night

**Title:** Define My Pain

**By:** Aina Song

**Fandom(s):** YYH/FF8 Crossover

**Genre:** Yaoi

**Rating:** NC-17

**Warning(s):** Language; Angst; Blood - Possibly some Saap, if I can manage it.

**Pairing(s):** Yusuke/Squall; implied Hiei/Kurama

**Reviews:** Yes, please.

**Author's Note:** Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. _Italics_= dreams, and such.

**Teaser:** He didn't know what he needed… Until it found him.

**Chapter Two - By Tomorrow Night**

Whoever Yusuke Urameshi was outside this temple, he knew how to fight well. For several more long minutes they sparred, Squall easily keeping up whenever Yusuke switched from one fighting style to another without warning. Squall had not realized he was beginning to tire, until he felt the perspiration from his forehead sting his eyes. Yet he would not quit. Besides. Squall was just beginning to realize why Zell Dincht always preferred to go into battle without a weapon. Fighting this way - using his own body as a weapon - soothed Squall in a way he had not felt in a long time. He wasn't too eager to let it end before he could understand what that meant.

~o~

Yusuke was constantly surprised whenever Squall kept up after he had switched fighting styles; and he was very pleased to have found someone else who could match his adrenaline level. So far, only Hiei and Kurama had been able to keep up with him for so long.

He could tell Squall was beginning to tire. So was he. They had kept the game going for over an hour. By now they were moving so swiftly, Yusuke's demonic blood was pressuring to kick in.

But he wanted his victory to be fair.

Finally he dropped back and called it quits. That was when the room around them fell back into focus, and they realized they had more than Seifer for an audience. Genkai was studying them both with a knowing smile. Behind her stood Hiei and Kurama. Both were staring. They knew how strong and how fast Yusuke had grown over the years. No human could touch him.

Until now.

With an almost sheepish grin, Yusuke swiped the back of his hand across his mouth, sweeping away the blood from a cut lip. Yet his fierce brown eyes shone with a greatly triumphant light. He stepped close and tugged the collar of Squall's tee-shirt to the side. Just below Squall's collarbone, a large purple bruise was beginning to show. If that was not enough to mark his victory, he knew that at one point in their game his 'nails' had accidentally cut into the back of Squall's neck.

His mouth sliding into a slow smirk, Yusuke let go of the shirt's collar. "I win. You came pretty close, though, so I'll call it a tie. I'll help you two to find a way back into your own world."

Then he leaned even closer, and he whispered into Squall's ear. "You should probably wash that blood off your neck, before it stains your shirt. And remember. Saturday. For one whole night, you'll belong to me." And then he went to find a shower, leaving Squall to rub at the back of his neck and stare at the redness that came away with his fingers.

~o~

Squall and Seifer were given permission to explore the temple grounds. Yet they were not so very interested in what lay outside the temple. Squall only had thoughts for returning home, and Seifer rarely left his side. After that first day, they frequented the marble room, content to practice their techniques against each other and speaking very little to anyone else.

Late that Friday night, Seifer awoke from a dreamless sleep to find Squall's bed was empty. Swearing under his breath, he grabbed his _Hyperion_ and left the room. He was following the now-familiar corridor which led toward the marble room, but then a soft noise interrupted the silence of the night. Quickly, he pressed his back to the wall and held his _Hyperion_ close. He very carefully peered around a corner.

A strange form moved sluggishly amongst the shadows, as though dragging its feet. It seemed almost… Human. Seifer squinted, whispering an incantation to help his eyes pick the shadows apart**(2)**. He could almost make out dark markings upon its skin, and long wild hair. But then the strange form stepped out of the shadows, seeming to disappear as it did, and in its place stood-

Seifer stared.

… Urameshi?

~o~

Yusuke had just returned to the temple after coming to yet another dead-end as to where he might find Squall's world. He was exhausted, his muscles ached… He was damned glad he had never been the type give up so easily, but he was running out of ideas.

He was heading toward the back entrance of the temple, to find Hiei or Kurama for some advice, when he heard the familiar sound of clashing metal coming from the marble room. Giving into his curiosity, he crossed the corridor and reached his hand toward the door.

"Don't move."

~o~

Seifer did not understand what he had just witnessed. He didn't know what rules governed the world outside this temple. He only saw that creature one minute, and Urameshi the next; and now the dark-haired youth was approaching the marble room. Where Leonhart was training alone. And unaware.

Swiftly, Seifer left his corner and stepped up behind Urameshi, lifting the _Hyperion_ at the back of the other's throat.

"Don't move," he whispered.

Despite his warning, Yusuke Urameshi slowly turned around. The smirk had fled from his lips, and his fierce brown eyes shone with an almost predatory light. "It's not good manners to bare your weapon as though you intend to use it," he quietly answered. "Put it down."

Seifer shook his head, never moving.

"Put it down, man." He offered a slow smirk, "If I'd wanted to kill him, you know he'd be dead by now. And you wouldn't have been too long in joinin' him."

Unreasonably, something in those words rang true. And Seifer did not want to cause any undue trouble for Leonhart. So he cautiously lowered his weapon.

The predatory glare left Yusuke's fierce brown eyes, and the smirk he gave this time was more genuine. "You're very protective of him."

Seifer glance at the marble room's closed entrance. Inside, the sounds of Leonhart practicing went on, uninterrupted.

~o~

Yusuke knew that look. He'd been on the receiving end of it often enough. It was the look of reluctant admiration, and the ferocity of new loyalty. Even Hiei had once given that look, just before they and Kurama had shared a very sacred demons' vow several months ago.

Yusuke gave a clever smirk, studying Seifer Almasy from an entirely different perspective. "You two weren't exactly the best of friends at one time, were you."

The blond dropped his gaze to the weapon in his hand. "No."

"What happened?"

For a moment, it seemed he would not answer. Then, "In our world, I'm known everywhere as the Betrayer. Up until a year ago, Leonhart and I were rivals. I was older, with more training and experience. But he was the gifted one. I would always challenge him to prove I was better. Six times out of ten, he'd prove me wrong." Seifer shook his head, "Then last year, I'd lost my way and nearly sacrificed our world to a sorceress of evil."

"Squall came to the rescue, huh?"

"Not willingly. He hates playing the hero. But apparently, when everyone demanded my death afterward, Leonhart spoke out for me and refused."

"He spared you," Yusuke translated. He folded his arms and leaned against a wall, "And you've been tryin' to make up for it since."

The tall blond finally looked up and gave Yusuke a look of warning as he turned and headed back down the hall. "Don't make me regret leaving you alone with him."

Yusuke watched him go, then shrugged and quietly slid open the door to the marble room. And he stared, his mouth quirking in a bemused grin.

Squall Leonhart was defending himself against his own shadow. It was a strange enchantment, mirroring Squall's own technique and throwing it back at him with twice the force.**(3)** Finally, Squall lifted his weapon over his head, pulling its trigger as he swiftly brought it down.**(4)**

The marble room roared with the echo of gunfire. His shadow gave a strangled cry, backing away and falling to its knee in defeat.

~o~

Squall looked sharply up as Yusuke Urameshi entered the marble room. His magic wavered, returning his shadow to normal. The dark-haired youth smirked, quietly sliding the door shut behind him. Squall watched his approach with a careful eye. "What do you want?"

The dark youth gave the barest smirk in answer. Then, with a speed that left Squall staring, Yusuke quickly knocked Squall's gunblade from his hand and backed away with it. "Someone to play with," he finally replied.

Squall glared, his chalk-blue eyes watching his _Revolver_ in someone else's hands. "Give that back."

But Yusuke only shook his head, a fiery challenge in his piercing brown eyes.

"Take it."

Squall reached forth with his right hand, pooling his will into his magic. "This is your last warning," he answered, his gloved palm alighting with fire.

Yusuke's smirk never wavered. "Yeah?" He held the gunblade back with his left hand, lifting his other hand to point at Squall with his right index finger. "Let's pretend I didn't listen."

Without another word, Squall pushed his magic forth and let loose an orb of fire from his palm. It shot across the room with unerring precision, soaring straight for Yusuke. But the dark youth never flinched. His smirk spreading wider, he fired a tiny blue ball of light to intercept Squall's magic. The two attacks met in an explosion of fire and light which illuminated the entire room before fading away altogether.

Squall slowly lowered his palm, staring.

Yusuke dropped his own hand with an easy laugh. "That was entertaining." He then tossed the gunblade across to Squall, who was quite surprised to have won it back so easily. Yusuke gave him a wink and turned away, "Thanks for the game. See you tomorrow night."

But something stirred deep within Squall's chest, and he suddenly could not leave it at that.

"Wait."

Yusuke, whose hand had almost reached the door, curiously turned back.

A young man who never questioned his instincts, even when he didn't understand them, Squall took his _Revolver_ in both hands and lifted it at the ready. "Let's play some more," he quietly suggested.

Yusuke went very still, though a dark gleam lit in his fierce brown eyes. "What about that rule you have against using your weapon on an unarmed opponent?"

"Show me one," he answered, "and I'll back down."

That was when the dark youth gave a slow, crooked grin that Squall had not glimpsed before then, which tugged at his heart chords. In the very next instant, Yusuke swiftly crossed the room and swept his leg about in a way that was meant to force Squall's legs out from under him. Quickly, Squall leapt back and out of the way, ducking low to swing his blade in a wide arc just above the floor. But Yusuke's reflexes were faster than that. In the very little time it took Squall to swing his blade, Yusuke had already jumped impossibly high and landed directly behind him.

~o~

Grinning, Yusuke pressed his back up against Squall's. "Thought you wanted to be alone."

"I am. I'm alone with you." Then Squall drove his elbow back to roughly shove Yusuke away from him.

Yusuke tumbled along the marble floor, laughing as he sprang to his feet and spun around. "You don't sound too disappointed about that part."

"I think the word is 'curious'." The quiet youth let loose several bolts of lightning from his palm**(5)** which struck at Yusuke and chased him all around the marble floor.

But Squall did not realize until it was too late that Yusuke was only leading the magic attacks straight back to him. His oversight cost him, when the last bolt of lightning struck barely fifteen inches away, and Yusuke had pinned him back against a wall. "Curious," he softly echoed. "Why?"

Squall's hauntingly blue eyes were wide, as he tried to find an answer to that one. And suddenly Yusuke could no longer resist. He leaned forward and finally tasted those sultry lips in a very thorough kiss. As Squall was slack and nonresistant against him, Yusuke felt his nerve was accepted, and he delve his tongue into that slick cavern. The tangy sauce of cinnamon and citrus filled his senses, nearly dizzying him on the spot. But then Squall's muscles tensed against him as Yusuke felt and heard Squall draw in a sharp breath, and Yusuke found himself dragged quite forcibly back down to earth. He broke away and gently released his hold on the young swordsman. Gasping for air, despising himself for taking what did not yet belong to him, he swallowed a staggering breath and stepped back.

He stole one more glance toward the quieter youth's face, cursing himself at the anger and confusion he found there. "I'm sorry," he muttered, turning away and leaving the room. And, as he searched for Hiei and Kurama, he silently swore once again at his own recklessness.

Too soon, he had acted too soon. Now he had better discover a way to make up for it by tomorrow night.

2) In FF8, magic is a common ability among those trained within the Garden community. The one Seifer used here is called "Scan."

3) Who's to say he hasn't learned new skills & magic since the game. "Doppelganger."

4) Sound familiar? Play the game, watch the opening again.

5) "Thunder."


	3. Behave

_**Title:**__ Define My Pain_

_**By:**__ Aina Song_

_**Fandom(s):**__ YYH/FF8 Crossover_

_**Genre:**__ Yaoi_

_**Rating:**__ NC-17_

_**Warning(s):**__ Language; Angst; Blood - Possibly some Saap, if I can manage it._

_**Pairing(s):**__ Yusuke/Squall; implied Hiei/Kurama_

_**Reviews:**__ Yes, please._

_**Author's Note:**__ Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. Italics_= dreams, and such.

**Teaser:** He didn't know what he needed… Until it found him.

**Chapter Three - Behave**

Seifer stared, "He kissed you?"

Squall nodded, dropping to his bed with an air of frustration.

The blond youth quickly thought back to the first day they awoke in this temple, and of the look in Urameshi's eyes when he had first challenged Squall. A few pieces of the puzzle finally dropped into place, and Seifer smirked. "And?"

"And, what?"

"Did you kiss him back?"

Squall sat up to throw him a dark look. But Seifer wasn't fooled, "He didn't give you the chance."

There was a long moment's silence, before Squall answered, "I don't know where you're trying to go with this."

"That's a 'no'," Seifer haughtily translated. "Which means you would have, had he let you?"

His old rival narrowed his chalk-blue eyes, growing dangerously still. "He is not Rinoa."

Sighing, he gave up all attempts at mockery. "That's not what I asked you, Leonhart."

But Squall only stretched out on his back again, then crossed his arms and rolled to his

side until he was facing the opposite wall.**(6)**

"He is not Rinoa…"

~o~

Kurama very softly knocked on their door. He waited patiently until it was swung open, and the blond youth Seifer Almasy was studying him with a careful eye. Kurama smiled, "Is he still awake?"

Silently, Seifer nodded.

"May I speak with him?"

The blond shrugged, opening the door a little wider and stepping back. But Kurama's quick glance caught sight of the blade held cautiously in his other hand. "I don't wish to invade the privacy of those still unready to trust me," he calmly declined. "The corridor is quite open. Would he be willing to come out here, to speak with me?"

"What is it?" Squall himself answered, coming to the door.

Spreading his arms wide to reveal he meant no ill will, Kurama backed away a few paces to allow Squall Leonhart into the corridor. The quiet youth followed slowly; while behind him his blond companion left the door slightly ajar in case he should be needed.

"Forgive me if I intrude on matters that are not my concern," Kurama began. "But you seem to have upset my bond-brother."

"Bond-brother?"

"Yes. Yusuke, Hiei, and I have shared many dangers. Our past ties us closer than anything I could explain. Suffice to say, I survive for them, as they do for me."

Squall stared, perhaps in disbelief of such a notion. "What has that to do with me?"

"Everything," the red-haired fox softly insisted. "Yusuke has asked me to apologize in his stead for whatever wrong he feels he has set upon you. And to relay a message that he will not hold you to his wager about tomorrow night."

"No," Squall suddenly insisted. "I'd accepted his challenge; I will not back down."

That was when Kurama saw it. A very determined light shone in Squall's eyes, and also… Far into their chalky blue depths he discovered the image that clearly haunted this young man's soul. It was this image which solved a number of riddles for Kurama, but which would undoubtedly leave a few for Yusuke. The redhead offered a kind smile. "A man of his word," he praised. "I had hoped my bond-brother had chosen well."

He smiled again at Squall's confused stare; then he turned and started down the corridor. It was not until the door had closed soundly behind him that Yusuke Urameshi stepped out of the shadows. His brown eyes had lost some of their ferocity as he gave the demon fox a pointedly questioning look.

"Well?"

Kurama's smile faded into a look of quiet concern. "You were right. Squall Leonhart is a man haunted by his past."

"Who isn't," Yusuke dryly commented. "What did you see?"

"A young woman. She dominates his subconscious."

The dark youth nodded, as though having expected as much. "His girlfriend?"

"At one time, perhaps." Kurama watched his friend's expression closely, "She died."

Pain and sympathy flashing in his eyes, Yusuke dropped his head and glanced away. "No competin' with that…"

"The game is not called, just yet, Yusuke."

He looked up, "Isn't it?"

"I think he might've kissed you back, had you given him the chance. He seems a man capable of trusting his instincts. He simply needs convincing that the past does not belong in the present."

"But… How do I-"

"I'm confident you'll think of something," Kurama assured, stepping around him to return to his own room.

"Hey. Suu**(7)**?"

He glanced back. Yusuke was rubbing a hand across the back of his neck, a hesitant look on his face. "What you said earlier, about me makin' the right choice… You really mean that?"

Kurama's smile returned, "Yes, Yusuke. Whatever the outcome, I commend you for trying."

~o~

"_Keep pressure on it," Squall was urging her._

_But her hands had already begun to tremble, and she could barely lift them to her chest to cover the wound. Swearing, he carefully gathered her against him and placed his own hand to the blood-soaked compress. The sudden jerk of movement caused the hole in her left lung to stretch, and she coughed out the blood before she could choke on it._

_He did not flinch when it spattered on the side of his face, did not move to wipe it away. He only kept his hand firmly to the compress. "Please," he whispered, not caring that he was begging. "Let me try again to heal you. I could chant a Curaga, or-"_

"_No__,"__ she rasped._

"_Then I could break a Phoenix Down," Squall insisted, already searching his pocket._

_But she only shook her head. "Just hold me. I feel so cold…"_

"_Rinoa," he pleaded once more, looking up to search her eyes for the answer. But the brown eyes that stared back at him shone with a ferocity that had never been her own._

"_Yu-Yusuke…?"_

_The dark youth offered a weak smile, before he closed his eyes and lolled his head back with a final sigh. The burning wound beneath Squall's hand grew suddenly chill, and the slowly pumping echo of his heartbeat faded with a murmur of a pulse that Squall could only barely feel beneath his fingertips._

With a quick gasp for air, Squall sat straight up in his bed. Darkness flooded his eyes as he glanced about the room, trying to catch his breath.

A dream. Just another dream, but- That one had been a bit different from the others. How the incident mere hours before must truly have affected him, to have warped his memory like that… His heart still hammering against his chest, he slowly lay down again to recapture sleep.

Across the room, Seifer's dark blue eyes opened for a brief moment. He understood. He had watched Squall sit up in bed enough times to accurately guess which nightmare was still haunting his old rival. And he knew that any words he might offer would be turned away. So he didn't say a thing, rolling his head to the other side and closing his eyes once more as though he had witnessed nothing.

~o~

The next morning found the two swordsmen back in the marble room. Seifer was sitting with his back leaning comfortably against a wall, while Squall attacked his shadow with more force than was necessary. Bringing up his knee, Seifer draped an arm over it and watched his old rival work up a sweat. "How long will you keep this up?"

Squall acknowledged the second meaning behind that question. "Until I can get the taste of him out of my mouth," he spat, throwing his shadow back with a blast of snow and ice.**(8)**

"Right." The blond rolled his eyes with a small smirk, "Or until you can find a way to make it happen again."

He nearly stumbled in the midst of an attack at that one. "He is not Rinoa…"

"Damn it, Leonhart." Seifer sighed, feeling no anger but impatience at his friend's behavior. "Look. I miss her, too. But I'm not about to stand back and watch you make the same mistake twice."

"And what is that supposed to mean," Squall demanded, turning to him with a dangerous glint in his chalky blue eyes. Now that he was no longer concentrating on his magic, his doppelganger lost all its solidity and fell back to the floor.

But Seifer never flinched. "It took you forever to let her get close to you. You kept pushing her back for so long, it's a wonder she never gave up on you. I doubt Urameshi will be half as patient as that."

"So you're suggesting I should just let this happen."

"Think about it," he calmly answered. "Wouldn't Rinoa tell you the same thing?"

Squall fell silent, that emotionless mask he wore so well falling back into place. But Seifer saw the crack in it that had been placed there ever since the unthinkable had happened. So when Squall turned away and left the room without another word, Seifer let him go, shaking his head and wishing for Leonhart's sake that the past might one day be erased.

~o~

Pathetic.

Perched atop one of the ceiling's thick support beams, Hiei had watched their conversation. And he was disappointed to discover that the human Kurama had convinced him to be worthy of their bond-brother was actually little more than a spineless coward. Where was the creature that had once drawn Yusuke's blood?

Hiei respected Yusuke's choice, and would not speak against their bond-brother. But he did not share Kurama's confidence that Squall Leonhart was enough to salve Yusuke's wounded heart.

~o~

Seifer had finally left the marble room, and was wandering aimlessly along the temple corridors. He had not gone far, before whispered voices behind a closed door drew him closer.

"Have you no respect for their privacy?"

"I will not allow harm to come him, Kurama, even if that seems all he wants. I stood by the last time; don't expect me to do it again."

"Give them their chance, Hiei. You've seen how much Yusuke needs this."

"… I will. But if that human betrays our bond-brother-"

But in the very next instant, the voices had grown quiet. Before Seifer could realize he had been caught, the door swung wide open. And there stood the red-haired youth that had at some point during the week been introduced as "Kurama". His emerald green eyes settled their infinitely patient gaze upon Seifer, and the barest hint of warning flashed in them. Seifer felt suddenly disarmed, as though he had gone into battle without his _Hyperion_ and not realized it until he had found himself face-to-face with a T-Rexaur.

Kurama's slow smile belied that warning, but not enough to ease Seifer's discomfort. "Good morning, Mister Almasy. May I help you?"

Feeling inexplicably out of place, the tall blond silently shook his head.

The crimson-eyed being that was rarely seen away from Kurama's side also stepped into the doorway, and he did not bother to hide the warning in his glare. "What have you heard?"

"I-"

"Answer wisely," the redhead softly suggested. "Hiei has very little patience this morning."

Thinking quickly, remembering that his every move in some way would reflect upon Leonhart's reputation, Seifer drew himself up with as much haughty pride as he could muster. "I heard enough to ascertain that you both have your suspicions about Leonhart. My word may be of little value to ones such as you, but I tell you now that Squall Leonhart is only ever as respectable as he is treated." And, having given no small warning of his own, he boldly turned his back on them and returned to his room.

~o~

That night, there was a knock on the door to their room. Ignoring Seifer's quick smirk, Squall stood and came to open the door. It was Yusuke, of course, ready to close his half of their deal. He was facing away, waiting for the door to be answered; so Squall had a moment to study the subtle change in Yusuke's appearance. The dark youth wore faded jeans, and a red tee-shirt with its sleeves and collar torn away. Usually, his feathery black hair would be combed back and away from his fierce brown eyes, giving him the look of some delinquent out for a fight. Tonight, however, he had left it in its natural disarray. The difference made him appear slightly more vulnerable than he might let on.

Yusuke finally noticed that Squall had been standing in the doorway. But when he turned around, his chosen greeting fell from his lips, and his dark eyes widened.

"Damn…"

Seifer let out a short laugh from across the room, obviously enjoying the show. Squall tossed him a dark look. It had been Seifer's suggestion to go through with this thing in the first place; it had taken a good hour or so to convince Squall to "clean up" for the event. The look he threw his blond companion now was a warning not to press his luck.

Squall had abandoned most of his leathers for the night. His jacket, belts, gloves, even the three smaller belts that had embraced his left forearm were all piled neatly in the far corner of the room. Tonight he wore only his dark pants and white tee-shirt, which had been left untucked.

The simplicity of his outfit made him feel more uncomfortable than had the SeeD uniform he had worn to his graduation. For, though he was not a vain man, he was all too aware of the effect Seifer had been striving for when he had convinced Squall to do this. Squall had already glimpsed his reflection in a mirror; he had to admit to himself that his old rival had very nearly succeeded.

Squall had wanted to remain unaffected, and unreachable.

His reflection led him closer toward irresistibly forbidden.

Yusuke seemed to have caught the glare Squall had thrown in Seifer's direction, for his mouth tilted in a mischievous smirk. "Don't worry," he offered. "I'll behave."

6) Old habits.

7) My abbrev. for "Suuichi". I tampered with the idea a long time ago, and finally got to use it. It's probably not even an original nickname, but I thought it suited the moment.

8) "Blizzard."


	4. Yusuke's Hand

Title:** Define My Pain**

**By:** Aina Song

**Fandom(s):** YYH/FF8 Crossover

**Genre:** Yaoi

**Rating:** NC-17

**Warning(s):** Language; Angst; Blood - Possibly some Saap, if I can manage it.

**Pairing(s):** Yusuke/Squall; implied Hiei/Kurama

**Reviews:** Yes, please.

**Author's Note:** Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. _Italics_= dreams, and such.

**Teaser:** He didn't know what he needed… Until it found him.

**Chapter Four - Yusuke's Hand**

If Kurama had been right, then Yusuke really couldn't give up now. But Squall Leonhart was not making this easy for him. Yusuke had already decided to take him into the city, but the walk into town was somewhat quiet, as Squall was not so willing to chat with him. So, thinking quickly, Yusuke turned the conversation to the one topic he knew would not be ignored.

"I know I made a promise to help you and your friend back into your own world," he began. "And I've been tryin' like Hell all week. But without anything to go on, all my leads have been takin' me nowhere."

Squall was silent a moment longer. Then, without meeting his gaze, "Are you asking for my help?"

"Anything you can tell me about your world would make a big difference."

He seemed to think about it, as though weighing the consequences. "Specify."

Yusuke smiled. "Genkai once taught me that each world has its own soul. A wavelength, a signature, that sets them apart from all others. If you could tell me…"

"A signature," Squall slowly echoed. "A self-explanation?"

Yusuke nodded, knowing he had just been invited past a barrier. Nothing like a common goal. "Go on. How would you define the soul of your world?"

Silence. Then, "As a pendulum," he finally answered.

Yusuke gave a curious frown, "Okay, what? Explain that one a little."

And Squall tried. "Life in our world is a great weight of power that swings back and

forth between faith and responsibility. Corrupt federations and even creatures of the wild can be a constant plague on the people. Most citizens can't defend themselves without help.

"There is military aide called Garden, which deploys its SeeD soldiers from three separate ground locations spread out over the world. Too often, they're the citizens' only hope."

"The pendulum swings," Yusuke guessed.

"Yes." Squall sighed, his haunting blue eyes gazing distractedly at a dagger in the window of a gift shop. "The citizens of our world put their faith in the hope that Garden will always be there to protect them… And the SeeDs must always shoulder the responsibility of never letting that faith be destroyed."

They walked on, passing the shop by. "I know the feeling," Yusuke offered truthfully. More than once had such a task fallen to him. "So what you're really tellin' me is that the soul of your world is Balance."

~o~

Squall gave him a questioning look. "Balance?"

"Yeah," he smirked. "Power, powerless; faith, responsibility. Even life and death have a balance, if you think about it. One can't go without the other." Yusuke suddenly paused in his tracks and let out a short laugh, "I think you've just made my job easier."

Though he could not see how that might be true, Squall felt himself reluctantly admiring the dark youth's dedication. "What is the soul of your world?"

"Lemme think," he answered, still chuckling. But with his next breath, he had composed himself enough to reply, "Change. For this world, I'd have to say the answer to that would be Change. The idea that nothing can stay the same forever." He must have glimpsed Squall's odd look, for Yusuke's eyes lit again with new humor. "I was only born in this world, remember. Kurama, Hiei, and I are part of another world, very different from this one."

Squall did not argue. He did recall the dark youth making such a claim the first day they had met. Anyway, his thoughts had been distracted, as Squall suddenly remembered something else. "He called you his bond-brother."

"You mean Kurama." Yusuke nodded, never once questioning the change in Squall train of thought. "It's not a title he would use without purpose."

"Seifer told me he overheard the other one mention it too."

This time Yusuke came to a dead halt, staring. "Who? Hiei?"

Squall nodded, "You look surprised."

"No, it's just-" Yusuke quickly shook his head, "Pride and honor mean everything to Hiei, and it can take forever to get past them and earn his trust. I knew he'd accepted me, but… I never expected him to actually come out and say it."

The quietly pleased look that flooded across Yusuke's face made Squall feel as though he had given the dark youth a precious gift. He tried to ignore the feeling of satisfaction that filled him, to realize that perhaps he had. "When… the redhead?"

"Kurama."

"When _he_ spoke of it, there seemed to be more depth to its definition than he could put into it."

"So you want me to try to explain?"

Squall nodded.

"Okay…" They began walking again, while Yusuke thought a moment. "How's this. Try to think back to the most solemn promise you'd ever made in your life."

Immediately, unbidden memories of a field of wildflowers invaded Squall's mind, and he drew a sharp breath at their abruptness.

Watching him, Yusuke offered a kind smile. "Got one, huh? I won't ask you what it was; that's none of my business. But can you remember how you felt when you made that promise?"

"… Yes."

"I know this'll seem impossible for you, but try to multiply the strength of that feeling by ten."

Squall stared.

But Yusuke's fierce brown eyes were now watching the traffic light to let them know when they may cross the street. "Now," he was saying, "multiply all of that by a hundred. And then by a thousand. A million. Keep multiplying, until you no longer remember existing without the infinite intensity of that feeling."

"But-"

"You can't, can you." The dark youth turned his head to meet Squall's stare directly. "And even if you could, how do you find words to describe something like that? It can't be done. But that's exactly the kind of oath Kurama, Hiei, and I have made together which will bind our souls for longer than I care to mention. Death and self-sacrifices are no longer an option," he added, almost as though a reminder to himself. "We don't depend on each other to survive. If anything, they count on my survival, and I count on theirs. We live, sometimes forcing ourselves to it when there doesn't seem the choice, because…" Here, Yusuke fell silent, frustrated that he could not explain further.

But Squall was beginning to understand. "Because they themselves live under your very skin, and are no further away than your last breath. And you live to see their next breath, just as they do for you."

The fog cleared from Yusuke's eyes, and he smiled. "I think that's what I meant, yeah." Finally the traffic lights switched, letting them pass, and they stepped off the curb. "The answer to your first question, by the way, is Thirst."

He tried to remember what it was he had asked. "Thirst?"

"Yeah," Yusuke nodded. "The soul of this world may be Change, but the soul of my world is Thirst. For power, for growth. A need, an obsession, to always find a way to better oneself. Matter of fact," he added, giving Squall a sly look. "I've seen the same thirst in you, a time or two."

"I have no 'thirst'," Squall automatically denied.

"Uh-huh," he winked, still grinning. "Right."

And so the night wore on. Yusuke showed Squall around the city. He introduced him to video arcades and barbeque sandwiches, all the while making cutting remarks about Squall's stoic personality. But rather than becoming annoyed, Squall swiftly learned to retaliate with a few barbs of his own.

It was just after midnight when they finally returned to the temple. But Yusuke insisted upon seeing Squall all the way to his room. Squall glanced inside. Seifer must have sought the marble room alone, for he was not in his bed. Thinking he would like to stretch out his own muscles, Squall turned back to send Yusuke on his way.

But Yusuke's fierce brown eyes suddenly burned with a dark light. "The night's not over yet," he murmured hotly, swiftly pulling Squall against him. And before Squall could object, Yusuke's mouth had captured his in a kiss twice as thorough and insistent as the one from the night before.

~o~

At first, Squall tried to pull away. But this time Yusuke kept a firm grip on his arms and would not let him go. Yusuke's mouth moved over Squall's, tasting, savoring the feel of those lips under his own. When at last Squall gave up resisting and returned the kiss with as much fervor, Yusuke growled deep in his throat in relief and appreciation. He backed Squall into the room and pressed him up against a wall.

Squall gave a soft grunt when his back hit the wall, fisting his hands into Yusuke's red shirtfront and tugging him closer. Yusuke gladly took the half-step forward, slanting his head to the side and boldly thrusting his tongue into Squall's mouth. There it was again, that intoxicating taste of cinnamon and citrus. But even more delicious was when he was received with an urgency that almost rivaled his own.

Yusuke lifted his hand away from Squall's arm, reaching to close the door with a soft click. All without breaking their kiss, which grew more stimulating by the second. He cupped one hand to the back of Squall's neck, while the other slid down until a hiss of breath from Squall let him know he had found his prize. His hand at the back of Squall's neck kept the young swordsman from pulling away. But Squall was a very swift learner, his tongue dancing in Yusuke's mouth in a way that nearly drove him to distraction.

Yusuke decided he would rather lead than follow. He broke their kiss to drag his mouth downward, biting along the side of Squall's neck until he found that sweet-tasting juncture where throat met shoulder. It was then that he slipped his hand into forbidden territory. Squall sucked in another breath, and Yusuke lifted his head to watch those hauntingly blue eyes cloud over with storms of passion. Want. And need.

But not disgust. Not fear. And only those would have stopped him at this point.

After a moment he moved his hand, kneading and massaging until he felt the pulsing heat of Squall's response. And, watching his face, Yusuke knew Squall could not hope to contain himself much longer. So Yusuke brought his hand away, a small smirk playing at his lips at Squall's soft growl of protest, then deftly worked Squall's pants loose and released the proof of the swordsman's arousal.

Sinking to his knee, Yusuke took Squall into his mouth. Squall's whole body flinched, so that the back of his head hit the wall. But the low moans were more than enough to encourage Yusuke forth. He felt too when Squall threaded his fingers into Yusuke's hair; it set his blood to racing.

He worked his tongue against the prize in his mouth, eliciting a variety of sounds from Squall that did nothing to quell Yusuke's own excitement. Yusuke then relaxed his throat and virtually swallowed him whole. Squall gave a short cry as his control collapsed and his seed escaped in a flood of release.

His mouth tilting in another smirk, Yusuke swallowed and licked the sticky stuff away. Then he stood and tugged Squall's white tee-shirt over his head, tossing it to the floor. An appreciative growl started up from deep in his throat as he let his eyes roam over Squall's sleek torso. Even the dozens of battle-scars that littered his skin - large and small, old and new - only complimented his marble features.

Yusuke gave a kinder smirk this time, stepping close and kissing Squall on the mouth. His hips he let grind up against his new lover.

~o~

Squall's blood boiled and was like liquid electricity in his veins when he felt the proof of Yusuke's own arousal press up against him. He could barely admit to himself just how profoundly alone he had felt, and for how long. It was a heady thing to be suddenly proclaimed the center of someone's world.

Boldly, Squall set his hands to Yusuke's hips, hooking his thumbs into the waistline of Yusuke's jeans and pulling him closer. The low growl that rumbled against his chest was encouraging; Squall slid his hands round until his fingers brushed the button-clasp and zipper.

But, "Wait," Yusuke suddenly murmured against his mouth, taking Squall's hands and slowly pulling them out of his pants. It confused and frustrated Squall when the next thing the dark youth did was to break their kiss and take a small step back.

Until he saw the look in Yusuke's fierce brown eyes.

All that fiery hunger…

And just a hint of worry.

"Why did you stop me?" Squall softly demanded, his veins still humming with adrenaline.

Yusuke fisted his hands at his sides, as though in an attempt to keep them from grabbing at Squall again. "I want you," he rasped, swallowing a gasp of air. "I want to throw you down and take you until you're left begging for more." Yet Yusuke was shaking his head, a strange look in his dark eyes. "But I will not pretend to be someone else, just so you won't feel guilty about it afterward." He began turn toward the door.

Propelled by a sudden anger, Squall quickly pulled Yusuke back around until he was the one who had Yusuke pinned against the wall. "I am sick of being told which direction to take with you," he warned. "We are the only two in this room. Leave it that way."

He watched the hunger return to Yusuke's fierce brown eyes and, to prove he was just as willing, Squall locked the door with a firm metallic snap.

~o~

Yusuke had only wanted to tell the truth. He hadn't meant to make Squall so upset.

But, damn.

The fire behind that invitation was all it took to stir Yusuke's blood again.

The journey from door to bed was a slow one, as they busied themselves with undressing each other. When Yusuke had backed Squall against the side of the mattress, they both were nude. With a low growl, Yusuke pushed Squall down onto the bed and followed after him.

For several long minutes, the new lovers let their hands discover hot flesh and throbbing arousals. The silence of the room was often broken with heated panting for breath and sharp hisses of surprise.

Yusuke had never spent so long exploring a new lover before having his way. It excited him to learn so many secrets about Squall Leonhart, that he had never bothered to wonder about the others. But it was also driving him far too quickly toward the edge.

Silently, he pulled Squall up to his knees and turned him around. Squall unquestioningly rested his hands upon the headboard and spread his knees apart. As though his instincts were exactly aligned with Yusuke's. It was clear now that this was something they both needed.

Yusuke wet three fingers in his mouth, pushing them up into Squall's entrance. His new lover muttered a profanity, but did not pull away. Yusuke pumped and scissored his fingers until he knew Squall was ready. He brought his fingers out, bending low to slick Squall's ring with his tongue. The small number of hisses and moans before he was done brought a slow smirk to his lips.

Finally, he straightened and snaked his hands around Squall. One, to tease at Squall's aching member, while the other was brought up near Squall's mouth. "Lick it," Yusuke whispered in his ear.

"What?" Squall demanded, his head abuzz with steadily growing want.

"I don't have any ointments or lotions with me," he growled. "Lick it."

It still took a moment for Squall to understand. But then his new lover was wetting Yusuke's palm so thoroughly that Yusuke began to believe Squall's tongue to be a lethal weapon. With a withering groan, Yusuke brought his hand back and quickly tended to himself. Then he thrust into Squall, breaking past the ring in one swift move.

Squall gave a shout; Yusuke wrapped his arms around Squall's waist until he quieted. And he gave a low chuckle.

"Did I hurt you?"

"Get on with it," was Squall's hiss of an answer.

As if Yusuke needed to be told twice. He began to move inside Squall, his thrusts fast and urgent. His brunet lover moaned low in his throat, jerking his hips back to help drive Yusuke closer to that elusive spot that was begging to be touched. Yusuke growled, angling his thrusts just away from it. Squall cursed in protest when he realized what Yusuke was doing. But the dark youth only smirked, pounding into him harder and faster, never yet allowing that single release. He kept balance with an arm curled around Squall's stomach, while his other hand pumped Squall's aching shaft and made sure it did not feel neglected.

He could feel that he was close to the edge. And by the pulsing prize in his hand, he knew it was not much longer for Squall, either. Swearing Squall's name, Yusuke thrust deeper into him, his blood catching fire as he came. His seed washed up finally against that treasured spot, sending shuddering pulses toward Squall's member until it burst with joy, and Squall virtually screamed as he came violently over Yusuke's hand.


	5. Ever Done Otherwise?

**Title:** Define My Pain

**By:** Aina Song

**Fandom(s):** YYH/FF8 Crossover

**Genre:** Yaoi

**Rating:** NC-17

**Warning(s):** Language; Angst; Blood - Possibly some Saap, if I can manage it.

**Pairing(s):** Yusuke/Squall; implied Hiei/Kurama

**Reviews:** Yes, please.

**Author's Note:** Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. _Italics_= dreams, and such.

**Teaser:** He didn't know what he needed… Until it found him.

**Chapter Five - Ever Done Otherwise?**

Once the room stopped spinning, Squall glanced down to discover the mess he had left all over his pillow and sheets. He felt Yusuke's chest press up against his back as the dark youth peered over his shoulder. He could almost _feel_ Yusuke's slow smile. "You're not gonna want to sleep with that."

"No."

"How ya gonna hide it from Seifer?"

At that, Squall could not help but give a small smile of his own. "I suspect this is what he intended when he left the room empty."

Yusuke's laugh was a deep rumble against Squall's back. "He knew? I didn't think I was that obvious." Then he stretched a bit to look around Squall toward Seifer's bed. "Think he'd mind it if you borrowed his sheets?"

"Probably, but it wouldn't matter." He turned his head to lock Yusuke's gaze with his own, "I won't be sleeping here, tonight."

Yusuke's stare quickly became a look of devious satisfaction. "You fixin' to spend the night with me?"

~o~

_Too dark._

_The blood escaping her chest was far too dark._

_It stained Squall's hands as he tried applying pressure to stop the bleeding. His white shirtfront was soaked with it. It dyed the ground beneath them. But it would not stop. It kept coming, growing darker and darker as it spilled out of her._

_Just before the blood was more black than red, a hand reached up and gripped his wrist. Squall looked up._

_It was Yusuke Urameshi again, smiling up at him with dark brown eyes that were swiftly losing their ferocity. And he was growing very pale. "Hey," he rasped. "Come on. Let me go."_

"_Never." Squall heard the vow, and realized it had fallen from his own lips._

"_This ain't the end," Yusuke promised, his eyelids growing heavy. "Life. D-death. Re-re… birr…"_

"_No. NO!"_

~o~

Yusuke was jarred awake just before dawn when a sudden spike of energy bombarded his senses. He opened his eyes, but lay absolutely still. He didn't have to send his senses wide for the source. It was lying right beside him, emanating from the body that had entangled itself into his embrace sometime during the night.

Squall Leonhart's aura was awakening.

And even while Yusuke's head was still reeling with the meaning behind such a discovery, his new lover suddenly flinched in his sleep. Yusuke lifted up on his elbow, shaking Squall by the shoulder. "Hey," he breathed. "Come on. Wake up."

With a jolt and a hiss for air, Squall's hauntingly blue eyes flew open. He stared up toward the ceiling for several seconds before lifting his head and glancing around. "Yusuke..?"

The dark youth offered a small smile. "There you are. Welcome back."

"What happened? Where am I?"

Yusuke's smile slowly disappeared. "You're in bed. With me, remember? And I think you were having a nightmare."

Squall nodded, dropping his head again to Yusuke's arm with a heavy sigh.

"Having regrets?"

He quickly turned his head to stare at Yusuke. But Yusuke Urameshi had been lied to once before. He preferred the truth, always. "Squall. Do you regret what happened?"

His new lover was quiet a moment longer. Then, "No. I wanted you, tonight. Just as obviously as you wanted me. But I…"

"Can't stop thinkin' about her?"

Squall glanced away, nodding.

"What was her name?"

"Rinoa Heartilly." He took a steadying breath, "A stray bullet from an enemy soldier pierced her lung. I was there in time to hold her in my arms as she died."

Yusuke bit off a torrid profanity, stretching out again to pull Squall back against his chest. He held Squall tight against him, silently pooling his black energy out so that it may encompass them both. With a whisper to hush Squall's curiosity, Yusuke kept his energy flowing from one to the other and back again, taking Squall's pain and breaking it apart, letting it be shared between them before returning it to Squall's heart in the form it was meant to be.

Not guilt.

Grief.

Yusuke then pooled his energy once more into Squall, filling that heart with his silent understanding and wordlessly asking that his comfort be accepted. The stoic swordsman shook once in his arms, before finally giving in and releasing the tears that had never yet been allowed to flow. Yusuke whispered soothingly into Squall's ear while the other mourned at last, quietly reclaiming his energy back into himself.

When both fell asleep once more, it was the slumber of secrets shared and newfound peace.

~o~

Seifer Almasy awoke late that morning in the marble room. He lifted his head with a sour groan, stretching his stiff back muscles. Sitting down to rest the night before after hours of training had been a decent enough idea. Falling asleep with his back to the wall had not.

"Get up."

Seifer tilted his head back. And he stared. Standing some paces away, wearing faded jeans and a tee-shirt the shade of a dark purple bruise he had obviously borrowed from Yusuke, Squall Leonhart glared down at him. But more surprising than the clothes was the light that had finally returned to his chalk-blue eyes.

A slow, crooked smirk slid across Seifer's mouth. "About time."

"Get up," Squall repeated in answer.

The blond stood. "Where's Urameshi?"

"Looking for the doorway that might lead us home. He said he could be gone all day." Squall stepped back, lifting the _Revolver_ in his hand. "Which leaves me the chance to properly 'thank' you for last night."

Laughing, Seifer leaned down to take his _Hyperion_ into his grip.

"Your welcome."

~o~

High up on one of the ceiling's support beams, watching as the two humans attacked each other, Kurama smiled. "He seems to have rediscovered his spirit," the redhead whispered, glancing to his right. "What is your opinion?"

Kneeling beside him, Hiei scowled down at Squall Leonhart. "Fox. His aura has shifted."

"What?" Kurama quickly looked down a second time. But then he gave a small smile, "So there's more to him than meets the eye."

The fire demon nodded. "I had my doubts. I wondered what Yusuke had seen in him."

"And, now?"

"Now I have no reason to wonder."

Kurama smiled again, "Then you approve?"

Hiei narrowed his eyes of red garnet, watching Squall drive Seifer back with as much fervor as he had done with Yusuke that first day. Here was the creature that had drawn their bond-brother's blood. Hiei's scowl grew less determined, and he grudgingly gave a nod of his head.

"I approve."

~o~

Yusuke's heart suddenly felt like a cold lead weight, pressing down toward his stomach.

Moments before, he had felt a sense of elation. Finally, the path had been revealed which led directly into Squall's world. He had only to mention the word "Garden" to a random passerby, and it was as though he had asked the sixty-billion dollar question. He had been given directions to the nearest one which, for some reason, had been several miles away and near the mountains.

Yusuke had been about to discover for himself the reason behind the great importance Squall had hinted to when mentioning the concept of Gardens. Perhaps one of the deepest aspects to learn and explore about his new lover, a thought which had excited him. Now he felt the world grow cold around him.

No two walls stood together, and stone debris lay scattered across broken ground. It was obvious that any start at reconstruction had been abandoned long ago. A live explosive seemed embedded amongst the stones, and a small makeshift cemetery lay just beyond the debris.

This was not the military legend Yusuke had imagined.

Did Squall know of this? Yusuke did not want to bring his new lover home to a world of disappointment.

And that thought seized his heart and nearly stole his next breath. He did not want to bring Squall to this world. Nor to any world that did not include Yusuke. Yes, he had spent the past week searching for a way to lead Squall Leonhart home. But now he knew himself weak.

Yusuke Urameshi, that dark prince among demons, had done the unthinkable. He had severed his own heart, and had surrendered it to another…

~o~

In Genkai's temple garden, a sudden pang struck within Kurama's chest. The red-haired fox threw his arm out to catch his hand to the low garden wall as he fell to his knee with the echo of the impact. He did nothing to forbid the tears that sprang to his emerald green eyes.

"Oh, Yusuke…"

Hiei had felt it, too. He had collapsed to both knees, and now fell forward upon his hands. A single tear escaped his fiery red eyes and fell to the grass, where it hardened into a tiny black bauble. He swore, taking the gem and crushing it in his fist. Shimmering dust spilled between his fingers.

With a shared glance, the two demons rose shakily to their feet. Kurama's eyes were filled with worry. "I hadn't felt anything like that from him for some time…"

Hiei's frown betrayed his own concern. "Not since that bitch stabbed him in the back."

"Language, Hiei," The red-haired youth reprimanded automatically, though he shared his lover's opinion of that particular woman. He sighed, "What will he do?"

"What he believes is right." The koorime swore again, tossing the last of the shimmering black dust from his hand. "When has he ever done otherwise?"


	6. What I'm Gonna Do

**Title:** Define My Pain

**By:** Aina Song

**Fandom(s):** YYH/FF8 Crossover

**Genre:** Yaoi

**Rating:** NC-17

**Warning(s):** Language; Angst; Blood - Possibly some Saap, if I can manage it.

**Pairing(s):** Yusuke/Squall; implied Hiei/Kurama

**Reviews:** Yes, please.

**Author's Note:** Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. _Italics_= dreams, and such.

**Teaser:** He didn't know what he needed… Until it found him.

**Chapter Six -What I'm Gonna Do**

"Damn it."

Yusuke had returned to the human world, and was now wandering the city where he had long earned a reputation as the worst punk around. He had bloodied his fists on these very streets so often, he had once expected the pavement to become stained with it. Always there had been someone who would hope to find glory by challenging him. Now, however, the other punks were too smart to try. They had learned their lesson.

Too bad. Yusuke had a lot of negative energy that only a good knuckle-buster could have gotten rid of.

"Hey, Urameshi."

_Irony, thou art cruel…_

His fists clenching at his sides, he quickly spun around. He could feel his adrenaline racing with his anger, and the next thing he knew he had swung his fist. When the black fog of his temper had cleared from his eyes, he found Kazuma Kuwabara butt-first on the sidewalk.

The auburn-haired idiot was rubbing a hand against the left side of his jaw. "Guess I deserved that."

Yusuke glanced down at his right fist. Its knuckles were actually a sore red, and he flexed his hand to shake it off. He had forgotten to practice some restraint, something he made certain never to forget with a human. Even Kuwabara. "Didn't see that comin'," he muttered below his breath.

Kuwabara slowly stood, staring. "Y-you're apologizing?"

Yusuke fisted his hand again, and he glared. "Hell no, stupid. I'm just pissed I couldn't watch you fall." He swore, "What the Hell are you doin' here, anyway? I thought I told you never to come near me again."

"Come on, man." Kuwabara shoved his hands into his pockets, "Keiko and I both said we were sorry. It was one night; we never meant for it to happen, and we both swore never to let it happen again."

"Actions speak louder than words, witless. Once was enough."

"But-"

"Have you even told Yukina what you two did behind her back?"

"No. She doesn't-"

"Asshole!" Yusuke's fist flew a second time, and the blow threw Kuwabara back against the side of the building. "Get the Hell outta here! Stay away from me, and stay away from Yukina. Come within fifty yards of Genkai's temple, and I swear I'll let Hiei kill you!"

Still wiping blood from his mouth, the simpleton ran off before Yusuke could change his mind and carry out the threat himself right there. Yusuke swore, turning around and going off in the opposite direction. He let his rage lead him through the city, and stopped only to stare into the window of a gift shop. It was the same one he and Squall had passed by the night before.

Yusuke stood there awhile, his head swimming in anger and frustration. His whole world had come crashing down on him once before. And he could no longer deny that he must let it do so again. But at least this time, Yusuke would help it tear apart. On his own terms.

~o~

The sun had set long hours ago. Squall had barely rested long enough to notice it.

He swung his weapon again, but Seifer quickly leapt back. "Enough, Leonhart," the blond youth pleaded, waving him off. "I don't know where you always find the energy."

"I could ask him the same thing," laughed another voice. "But for an entirely different reason."

Both Seifer and Squall turned toward the other end of the room. It was Yusuke, of course. He stood there, his cocky grin well in place; he leaned his shoulder against the doorframe. In his hand was a small red box. He gave Squall a sly wink.

"So. Who's ready to go home?"

~o~

Seifer followed Squall into their borrowed room one last time. He sat on his bed, facing the wall, and waited as Squall changed back into his newly washed leathers. "Well? What do you want me to tell everybody when I get back?"

"What?"

"Should I tell them you drowned at sea?" Seifer smirked at the wall, "Or do you think they could handle the truth?"

"What are you talking about?"

He glanced over his shoulder, turning the rest of the way around when he saw that Squall had nearly done. "You are planning on stayin' here, aren't you?"

"What?" Squall was adjusting one of the smaller buckles around his left forearm, "Why would I stay here?"

Seifer rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh. "You know why, Leonhart. Or did you really think a one-night stand would be enough to satisfy a guy like Urameshi?"

Squall paused, staring.

Seifer groaned, "You did. You disappoint me, Leonhart. I thought you were smarter than this."

His old rival narrowed his chalky blue eyes in warning. "Smarter than what?"

"Go ahead," he drawled. "Deny it." He shook his head, crossing his arms, "But you'll never convince me that waking up in his bed this morning didn't make you feel more complete than you ever had in your life."

He should've seen it coming. And after that last remark, Seifer knew he deserved it when from out of nowhere Squall's fist met with his jaw in a very solid swing. Seifer reeled with it, falling to the mattress with a soft grunt. Rubbing his sore jaw, he looked up.

Squall was glaring down at him, his fists clenched at his sides as though to keep from swinging again. "You've tested my patience this week," he growled dangerously. "But that time you crossed the line. What happened last night or this morning is none of your business. And you will never speak of it to anyone."

~o~

Yusuke could feel Squall's anger through the door before he knocked, so it was little surprise when Seifer opened it bearing a bruised jaw and a look of frustration. The blond barely spared Yusuke a backward glance as he stormed down the hall. Yusuke shrugged and came into the room. "There you are." He grinned, "Though I'm gonna miss seein' you in my clothes."

Squall spun around. Almost immediately, Yusuke could feel the anger evaporate; he could see the tension leave Squall's muscles. "Yusuke…"

"You looked ready to kill somebody," he answered. "What happened?"

Squall sighed, sitting down on his bed. "Nothing important. Seifer finally made one observation too many. That's all."

Nodding, Yusuke came to sit next to him. After a moment, he offered, "Someone pissed me off today, too."

Squall's glance was slightly curious. "But you were gone all day."

"Yeah, well." He shrugged, "It was on my way back to the temple. If I hadn't already been so distracted, it wouldn't have happened."

"What was distracting you?"

Yusuke tried to answer, but the words lodged themselves in his throat. How could he tell his new lover that the world he held in such high regard was falling apart?

But Squall's clever mind quickly guessed the problem. "Something happened while you were in our world?"

"Yes."

"What did you see?"

Yusuke sighed, glancing away. "I found one of those Gardens you were talkin' about, but… I mean…"

"You must've found Trabia."

He looked up. Squall's expression hid nothing, and his hauntingly blue eyes even shone with some relief. "Last year, the Galbadian army declared war against the rest of the world. Their betrayal of the people's trust was influenced by a sorceress, which made them more of a threat than had they acted alone. But they also knew there would be resistance."

Now Yusuke was catching on. "The other Gardens."

Squall nodded, "Two other ground locations, and the White Ship."

"What's the White Ship?"

"SeeD members from all over the world, especially chosen for a specified list of commands and brought together on a vessel that is very difficult to locate when it wants to remain hidden."

"Cool."

"Missiles were launched against the two other ground locations. We managed to save Balamb Garden, but Trabia suffered a heavy loss."

"Wait." Yusuke shook his head, "That was a missile?"

Squall frowned, "You didn't go near it, did you? It was never disarmed."

"I saw it, but I kept my distance."

A silence passed between them, then. Yusuke remembered the small cemetery, and wondered how much worse Squall must have felt when it had happened…

"Yusuke."

"Yeah?"

"What happened when you came back?"

"Oh. I ran into an old friend. Least we _were_ friends, before he-" Yusuke took a breath to compose himself, "His name is Kuwabara. He, my girlfriend Keiko, and I were always together. But one night, she came to his bed instead of mine. And I'll never forgive either one of them for it…" His hands fisted on his lap, "I was on my way back to the temple, to warn you about what I found, and then…"

Squall nodded, "Kuwabara."

"Yeah." Then Yusuke suddenly cleared his throat, standing. "Come on. I promised to get you and Seifer home, and that's what I'm gonna do."


	7. Only Hope

_Title:__** Define My Pain**_

_**By:**__ Aina Song_

_**Fandom(s):**__ YYH/FF8 Crossover_

_**Genre:**__ Yaoi_

_**Rating:**__ NC-17_

_**Warning(s):**__ Language; Angst; Blood - Possibly some Saap, if I can manage it._

_**Pairing(s):**__ Yusuke/Squall; implied Hiei/Kurama_

_**Reviews:**__ Yes, please._

_**Author's Note:**__ Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. Italics_= dreams, and such.

**Teaser:** He didn't know what he needed… Until it found him.

**Chapter Seven -Only Hope**

Squall Leonhart slowly passed his hand along the wall. Its surface rippled like bricked water. Standing just behind him, Seifer Almasy stared at it in disbelief. "How the Hell…"

Yusuke laughed, watching them. "Doesn't look like much, does it. But it _will_ work. This wormhole will lead you straight home. And it's only temporary, so you'd better hurry."

"But how did you do this?" Squall softly demanded, passing his hand over the rippling surface a second time.

The dark youth shrugged, "I had help."

Squall understood. Yusuke's bond-brothers. Closer than life itself, never beyond the reach of his last breath. Alone, Yusuke was a formidable being with such power whose limits Squall had yet to guess at. But the three of them together…

Seifer still looked skeptical. "I'm not convinced this would work."

"One way to find out," Hiei remarked, just before shoving the blond youth forward.

With little more than a surprised shout, Seifer stumbled through the brick wall. Squall watched as his old rival's body vanished before his eyes, then he turned his wondering gaze upon Yusuke.

But Yusuke only smirked, shrugging. Behind him, the red-haired Kurama was frowning at their fiery-eyed companion.

Dark humor shone in Hiei's glare, "What?"

"Was that truly necessary?"

"Wasn't it," he insisted.

Yusuke shushed them, still grinning. "Here," he said, offering Squall the small red box he had brought with him upon his return to the temple.

Squall looked at it a moment, then took the box into his hands and lifted the lid. Then he stared. Cushioned upon a layer of grey foam, tucked inside its own leather sheath, was the same dagger Squall had admired from the window of a gift shop the night before. Black leather sheath, cross-woven leather grip… Squall lifted it up out of its box and bared its triple-forged blade. It boasted perfect balance in his fist, a rare quality in such a weapon.

He put the dagger back into its box and replaced the lid. He looked at Yusuke, and suddenly all the rest of the world seemed to disappear. "Thank you," he whispered.

Before he could draw in another breath, Yusuke had stepped close and was kissing Squall's mouth very thoroughly, sharing his taste of mint chocolate one last time. Then the dark youth's hands were on his shoulders, and Squall felt himself being shoved backwards.

He could not feel the brick wall as he passed through it.

Only the sudden chill that gripped his lungs as he left Yusuke Urameshi behind…

~o~

"Yusuke?"

Kurama exchanged a look of concern with Hiei, who only frowned to hide his own worry. They watched as their young bond-brother silently turned away and led back through the city to Genkai's temple.

~o~

Edea's garden.

A cliff-side meadow, filled with every blossom imaginable.

They had reached their original destination, at last. For it was here that Squall had once promised Rinoa Heartilly that he would always wait for her. And here it was that he had scattered her ashes.

When Seifer had first offered to "kidnap" him and bring him here, Squall had not understood why. But this past week had forced Squall to realize the obvious truth. His time with Rinoa had ended. He knew that, now. He knew it, and yet he did not feel so guilty about it as he had thought he might.

What he suddenly did feel was the birth of a tiny flame in the core of his heart. Its steadily growing warmth dripped like liquid fire, filling his heart from somewhere even deeper within him.

"Squall," spoke Edea's voice, as she came up behind him. "Child, when did you get here?"

"Only recently," he heard himself answer, though his mind still followed this new flame. Now it was spilling into his veins, swimming in his very blood. He could feel it, could trace its path as it began to spread through his entire body. Not burning. Not invading. But almost… Welcome.

Edea was speaking again. "The Ragnarok's auto-pilot brought it to my shore a few days ago. Is there something you're not telling me?"

And then some. He did not answer right away, his mind racing with a self-discovery he dared not ignore.

"Squall?"

"I came with Seifer. Have you seen him yet?"

"Yes," she sighed, knowing her question refused. "He's just inside."

The blond youth was leaning against the broken doorway to their old childhood room, looking in. "Hit me again if you want, but I'm going to say this. You just made the biggest mistake of your life, coming back here."

But Squall was no longer concerned with whether he was right or wrong. "I'm going after the White Ship, to ask for Ellone's help."

"Ellone?" Seifer shook his head, "Her power has limits, Leonhart."

"I remember." His eyes stung, a fire only he could see brightening his vision, and he felt the flames consume his lungs as he breathed. They would soon engulf him whole, unless Ellone could help Squall to bring them under his control.

~o~

They could not take it much longer. For three weeks, Hiei and Kurama had watched Yusuke bury his broken heart as though there had been nothing wrong. It was the exact same thing he had done when he had learned about Keiko and Kuwabara. This time, however, they could feel his pain eating at his insides like poison.

They had to stop their young bond-brother, before he destroyed himself.

Late one afternoon, they found Yusuke wandering the forest outside Genkai's temple. Without a word, they took his arms and pulled him down to his knees. Yusuke protested, but soon quieted under their solemn stare and let them have their way. And so Hiei and Kurama bombarded him with their combined energies, silently forcing him to witness how his sulking had begun to hurt them as well. When they pulled their energies back, Yusuke responded. He let his own energy flow out of him so that it may embrace them all. He let them share his pain, and the true cause for it. But he would not allow them to tear it away from him. It was his pain, after all, and he did not wish his bond-brothers to suffer needlessly for his sake.

Instead, he let them help him to quiet his pain and hide it within the core of his heart, where it would whisper but not fade. And after, when all was done, Yusuke felt a small sense of peace settle within himself. Without the one he had chosen, he would never be whole. But he would continue to survive. For them.

~o~

"People are going to wonder, Leonhart. They'll ask questions."

"Let them."

"Are you sure you don't want anyone to know the truth?"

"…Give my _Revolver_ to Laguna. He deserves to know I haven't died."

"And the others?"

He smiled, "I drowned at sea."

"They'll blame me, you know. They'll think I did you in, myself. Revenge or something for defeating Ultimecia."

"Then stay in Esthar. Borrow Laguna's influence as their president to establish your place there and start anew."

"And you think he'd accept me, just like that?"

"If you remember to stick to the truth and keep your smart mouth in line. I'm discovering for myself that anything is possible."

~o~

"Yusuke," Genkai quietly interrupted, having suddenly appeared as was her custom. "You have a visitor."

The dark youth did not move from his brothers' embrace. "If it's Kuwabara, ask him if he has a death wish then tell him to go away."

"Idiot," she shook her head with a fond smile. "I'm not your answering machine. Get up and go tell him yourself."

Swearing, Yusuke stood and left to do just that.

He was a young demon. Quick and powerful; dangerous when he wanted to be. But still young. He had not caught the secret behind Genkai's smile.

But Hiei and Kurama were not so young. They had caught it, and swiftly guessed the reason behind it.

~o~

Yusuke had barely stepped into the temple, when he suddenly found himself shoved back against a wall with the blade of a dagger pressed up at his throat. The hold on him was not unyielding; he could easily have wrenched himself free. But then he caught a glimpse of his attacker.

There was a streak of white in his feathery brown hair. Thick markings were scrawled all over his marble skin, glowing red as fire. A fanged snarl, and hauntingly blue eyes whose pupils were also rimmed with red.

"S-Squall?"

"Why didn't you tell me I wasn't human," the swordsman hissed, holding the blade steady as he kissed Yusuke's mouth with all the hunger of a passion unleashed.

Much as he enjoyed revisiting the cinnamony-citrus taste of those sultry lips, Yusuke reluctantly pulled back. "I'm sorry," he panted. "I should've told you."

"Yes."

"And I shouldn't have let you go."

"No."

"I should've asked you to stay. Begged you." Yusuke's dark eyes shone, "Thrown you down and had my way with you until you couldn't dream of leaving."

"Why didn't you?"

"You only wanted to go home." He sighed, "It wouldn't have been right to take that from you."

Another moment passed, and Squall slowly brought the dagger away, tucking it into its leather sheath which now hung from one of the loose belts at his hip. "So, what am I?"

"A demon, same as I am." And, in the spirit of honesty, Yusuke let his true form be revealed. His black hair grew long and wild, his skin took on a chocolatey hue, and jagged chalky blue tattoos marked his darkened skin. He smirked, feeling his fangs play at his lower lip.

Squall stared, "Your markings look like mine. Except…"

"Except, they're not like yours. Yours are all over; mine are just here and there." Yusuke shrugged, "Demons come in thousands of breeds. But you and I are what some might call a couple of accidents. We're Mazoku."

The other frowned, curious. "Mazoku?"

"Demonkin. Half-breeds. Both of my parents are human. So were my grandparents, and so on. Keep counting back; you'll only find more of the same, until you reach forty-four generations before my birth."

"A demonic ancestor?"

"Right. But his descendents were all human. The demon blood in his DNA skipped over all of them until it reached me. There's no guessing how many generations it took for _you_, but it's easy to tell the story's about the same." Then his smirk grew, "Though it looks like _your_ ancestor might have been descended from a fire demon. Wait 'til Hiei sees you."

Squall's fire-rimmed eyes widened, and he knew a moment of uncertainty. "Your bond-brothers. Will they…"

"They'll accept you," the dark youth confidently answered. "Even when we thought you were human, they were ready to give you a chance."

Squall found no reason to doubt his dark lover's word. He asked, "What do we do now?"

"Tomorrow, I hope you'll follow me back into my world. Kurama, Hiei, and I can teach you everything you want to know about your demonic power. In the meantime," Yusuke added, stepping closer. A heated light shone in his fierce brown eyes, "I think I'd like to test those new fangs of yours."

Quickly guessing his game, Squall narrowed his eyes and watched the dark youth come even nearer. "Are you calling me a biter?"

Yusuke pulled his lover roughly against him. His touch tracing Squall's fiery red tattoos up under his shirt must have burned like electricity, because it brought a hiss of breath from his lover. And he gave a slow smirk when he felt a rumbling predatory growl start up from deep within Squall's chest.

"One can only hope…"

**The End**


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